Threat of Desert Locust

Locusts are short-horned grasshoppers. These species under commending climatic conditions congregate, that move unitedly as bands and multitude over significant distances getting over nations and mainlands rapidly, stripping fields and tremendously harming crops. They ravage crops and plantations, pastures, trees,  damage food, fruits, vegetation and jeopardize food security across the world particularly in South Asia. They are considered as the Earth’s most destructive pest in the migratory section. Large-scale outbreaks were reported in India in 1978 and 1993, especially in  Gujarat where locusts destroyed over 25,000 hectares of crops in 2019.

Desert Locust

Grown-up locust swarms can fly up to 150 km daily with the breeze, and they can burn-through generally their load in new food each day. A tiny swarm can also eat as much as about 35,000 people in one day. If allowed to breed and remain unchecked in favorable conditions, locusts can transform into huge swarms that strip trees and crops over vast areas. 

Impact of Locust Attacks 

The locust swarm has both economic and social consequences. Since the 1920s, the FAO has reported on the decadal economic impacts of locust plagues. Although no locust plague cycles have been observed since 1962, large-scale outbreaks were reported in India in 1978 and 1993. Damage was estimated to be Rs. 2 lakh in 1978 and Rs. 7.18 lakh in 1993. In Gujarat, locusts destroyed over 25,000 hectares of crops in December 2019.

• Affecting Food Security: If their breeding coincides with that of the Kharif crop, it could have a negative impact on rice, maize, and sorghum.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization has warned that the locust attack could pose a serious threat to global food security.
• Affecting Urban Areas: Because there were no crops in the field after the recent harvest of Rabi crops, desert locusts have been invading green spaces in urban areas.
• Though locusts are unlikely to be a major threat in urban areas, they can cause havoc.
• Furthermore, the effects of locust in urban areas may worsen because the national lockdown has made pesticide and labour availability and transportation difficult.

Desert Locust Cycle 

Locust Warning Organisation (LWO)

• The Locust Control and Research (LC&R) scheme is responsible for the control of Desert Locust in India, implemented through an Organization known as the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) established in 1939.
• LWO is in charge of taking care of and controlling the insect circumstance in the Scheduled Desert Area (SDA) fundamentally in the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat while halfway in the States of Punjab and Haryana. 
• It keeps itself side-by-side with the overarching insect circumstance at the National and International level through FAO’s month-to-month Desert Locust Bulletins.

Control Measures:

• A robust approach is needed by the Union Government agencies and different states departments for efficacious desert locust control.
• The mitigation at the hopper stage can be most effective because locusts are most vulnerable at this stage.
• The pesticides, which are active for a short time, should minimise environmental damages.
• Drones can be used to spray pesticides on tall trees and places inaccessible for effective control of locusts. 
• Directives from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, looking after the situation on a global scale, should be followed diligently for efficacious control over the locust.
• India has also put forward a trilateral initiative with Pakistan and Iran to control the locust effectively. The Indian Meteorological Department should provide the wind pattern data for meaningful tracking of the movement of locust swarms.
• We safeguard livelihoods and encourage recovery via cash interventions, supplementary livestock feed, and livelihood recovery and farming packages.

Case Study:  Swarms of locusts have invaded vast swathes of land in India since April 11th
2020. They entered several districts of Rajasthan via Sindh province Pakistan. Favourable rain-bearing winds helped their transport towards India. This locust attack has affected about 90,000 hectares across 20 districts in Rajasthan and 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh were destroyed by locusts in 2020

Conclusion:- 

Locust plagues not only rob rural families of their livelihoods and income, but they also have a negative impact on the lives of women and children. Children frequently miss school to assist their families in recovering from losses caused by locust swarms. Malnutrition was observed in children following locust plagues because locusts consumed the same fodder as domestic cattle, lowering milk quality and leading to food insecurity and malnutrition. The Locust Control and Research (LC&R) scheme is responsible for the control of Desert Locust in India, implemented by LWO and by taking adequate measures to reduce locust plague.